


I Swear I Heard Demons Yelling

by BakerBeMe



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Dreams and Nightmares, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Just Friends, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-04-28 06:02:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5080483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BakerBeMe/pseuds/BakerBeMe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Who am I Josh? Tell me! Who am I?!”<br/>Josh sank to his knees and clutched his head like it was going to explode.<br/>“No no no, it’s not real. It’s not real. Josh, you need to wake up. Now. Please just wake up. None of it is real. It’s all a dream.”</p>
<p>-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-</p>
<p>Josh has reoccurring nightmares, all involving death, destruction and Blurry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER  
> I do not own twenty one pilots.  
> I do not know them personally nor do I know how they would react to these specific situations.  
> Also this is the first thing I've ever put up online so constructive criticism would be muchly appreciated.  
> Thankyou for your time, enjoy!

Josh rounded the corner and stopped, bent over trying to catch his breath. He must have lost it. There’s no way that… thing could run that fast for so long. It’s impossible. Then again, after this week Josh wouldn’t doubt anything again. Not after …  
“You know you’re not fast enough to outrun me. I’ll just keep coming back. I always do”  
Josh froze, turning slowly to look back down the street. The thing was standing just a few metres away from him, not appearing to look even remotely tired. In fact, it looked bored and impatient. That was never a good sign.  
“W-why are you here?” Josh managed to stutter out the question, barely audible.  
It cackled loudly before mocking him.  
“I-I-I don’t know Josh. Why am I here? You know don’t you? It’s because you can’t let me go. You can’t just let me be. And you can’t bear to face the fact that I’m gone and I’m never coming back!”  
The thing’s voice became louder and angrier as it spoke.  
“Who am I Josh? Tell me! Who am I?!”  
Josh sank to his knees and clutched his head like it was going to explode.  
“No no no, it’s not real. It’s not real. Josh, you need to wake up. Now. Please just wake up. None of it is real. It’s all a dream.”  
The thing was in hysterics by now, almost as if Josh curled up in a ball on the ground was the funniest thing in existence.  
“You’ll never get rid of me! You have to sleep at some point! Even when you’re awake I’m there!”  
Josh’s vision began to fade, but the sadistic laughter of the thing still echoed in his ears as he opened his eyes to see the same face as in his dream uncomfortably close to his own, this time deserted of any laughter.   
“Oh my god, Josh. It’s okay. I’m here. No-one is going to hurt you.”  
“I-I’m sorry… I’m so s-so sorry…” Josh whimpered against the younger’s chest.   
“Hey, it’s all okay. Let’s get you a warm cup of tea and we’ll talk okay?”  
“Thankyou Tyler”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler confronts Josh about his lack of sleep.

“Josh, you have to sleep at some point.”  
Josh hadn’t slept in a day or two, he couldn’t really remember. Everything was turning into a blur of noise and colour, he couldn’t tell the difference between the voice in his head and Tyler anymore. Unfortunately, the supply of energy drinks in the fridge had mysteriously evaporated leaving Tyler to stage an intervention for his roommate.   
Josh knew there was no hope arguing with him, after all Tyler had been his acting mother ever since they moved into a cheap apartment together. He was the reason any clothes were ever washed. Nevertheless Josh being a rebellious teenager at heart, he had to retaliate.  
“My sleeping habits are none of your-“  
“Joshua William Dun! Do I have to call your mother or will you actually listen to me for once?”  
He could tell Tyler was reaching the end of his patience. This didn’t happen often but when it did he never stepped down.  
“I’ve just been having nightmares. It’s no big deal.”  
Josh tried to brush off the subject quickly. He really didn’t want to even think about the dreams.  
“You don’t say? You know, I’ve woken up to you screaming in your sleep every night this week! And I’m pretty sure these nightmares aren’t anything new either.”  
“Well, I’m sorry for waking you up.” Josh wasn’t even bothering to keep the sarcasm from seeping into his voice.  
Tyler let out a deep sigh.   
“I’m just worried about you Josh. I don’t care how much sleep I lose, you’re obviously getting less than I am. It’s not healthy!” He hesitated slightly before continuing. “I think you should tell me what’s going on in these dreams. You shouldn’t keep it bottled up inside. And look at it this way, if you tell me what it is, it might not happen again.”  
Josh knew something like this was going to happen. He couldn’t say no to Tyler.   
“Get me some caffeine and we’ll see.” He couldn’t help but crack a smile when he saw Tyler’s face light up before he raced into the kitchen to start making what he liked to call a ‘heart attack in a cup’.  
After about ten minutes of Josh freaking out and Tyler stirring a pot full of who knows what, they sat down together on their cheap beanbags together. They were cheaper than buying a couch anyway.   
Josh looked at the mug of creamy brown liquid placed in his slightly shaking hands. He couldn’t decide whether it smelt more like petrol or burnt rubber, either way it can’t be good for him. On the other hand, neither was insomnia. In true what-doesn’t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger fashion, he chugged it down in a few gulps.   
“Josh, I know you don’t like to talk about this kind of thing but something has obviously happened to make you have these nightmares. You know I wouldn’t judge you for anything right?” Tyler was obviously not going to let it go without some kind of explanation.   
“I’ve just been having these nightmares. It’s no big deal, I promise.”   
“Maybe if you tell me what happens in the dream it might help?” Tyler sounded hopeful and optimistic, as always.  
“It’s just some gore and stuff. You know, the usual. It’ll pass.” Josh flashed his signature grin but something was missing. The sparkle in his eyes wasn’t there.   
If Tyler noticed, he didn’t say anything.  
 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER MAY BE TRIGGERING!!!!!

Josh was awake.  
He couldn’t face that dream again.  
He sat on his bed, surrounded by numerous empty cans of energy drink, bolt upright trying to keep his eyes open. If he fell asleep again he would see it again. He knew he would.  
Josh climbed the stairs to the cheap apartment he shared with his best friend Tyler. The shopping bags were cutting off the circulation to his hands.  
He couldn’t even bear to use its name, after all if it has a name and a face that makes it real, and oh boy did it have a face. Josh would never forget that face, nor the person that face used to belong to.  
He fumbled through his pockets looking for his keys, finding them underneath his phone.  
A thin veil of mist seemed to surround Josh making him increasingly more confused. He couldn’t tell if he was asleep and reliving that horrid nightmare again or if it was just playing through his head again as it had been doing all day.  
“Tyler, I got the groceries!” Josh called out to his friend, “You would not believe how many people were out today, seriously. It’s insane.”  
Josh heard his own voice echo around inside his head; there’s no way to stop this now.  
Josh quickened his pace heading straight for Tyler’s bedroom, but when he got there the door was open and Tyler was nowhere to be seen.  
No. Not in there. Anywhere but there.  
Tyler wouldn’t. He wouldn’t do that, he couldn’t. He promised.  
Josh could feel his heart beating out of his chest. He didn’t want to do this.  
As he pushed the door open, his eyes found a small wooden box on the counter, so familiar to him after the last time.  
He tried to take control of his dream and just walk the other way or wake up, anything but this.  
Josh screamed, louder than he ever had. Tyler promised.  
Josh couldn’t rid his mind of the image. Not when he was asleep, not when he was awake.  
Blurry never left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've been really bad at updating and I'm sorry, but I know how many chapters are left and I've got the next chapter done so I'll try and post it soon.  
> Thanks


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh is scared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER MAY BE TRIGGERING!!!!!

_Blurry never left._  
Josh shot upright, sweat dripping down his forehead, a few empty cans clattering to the ground. Something was missing.  
Tyler. Tyler was missing.  
He was always there when Josh had a nightmare, always.  
“What if it wasn’t a dream?”  
Josh’s mind started to dim to one voice with the overwhelming question.  
_…Tyler was nowhere to be seen…_  
His breathing became short and shallow, as if someone had placed a two tonne rock on his chest.  
_He wouldn’t do that, he couldn’t_  
His face started to tingle and go numb.  
_What if it wasn’t a dream?_  
Josh was going crazy, he must be insane.  
_What if it wasn’t a dream?_  
Nothing felt real anymore.  
_What if it wasn’t a dream?_  
“No no no, it’s not real. It’s not real. Josh, you need to listen to me. Now. Please just listen to me. None of it is real. It’s all a dream.”  
There, right in front of him was Tyler. Alive.  
“Y-you’re alive.” Josh stared at him in disbelief, “You were there and you- you were…”  
He held Tyler as tight as he possibly could. Tyler would normally protest.  
“It’s okay, I’m here. I’ll never leave.”  
If Josh had been looking at his friend’s face instead of trying to control his breathing he would have seen a smile, somewhat forced and fractured, and tears brimming at the edges of bleak, misted eyes.  
After a few minutes of Josh crying into his friend’s shoulder, his breathing began to slow and he was able to feel his face and hands again.  
He still had that image burned into the inside of his eyelids, as it had been for the past week.  
“I’m sorry Ty” Josh whispered meekly.  
“What for Josh? It’s okay, you can’t help these things sometimes. I’m sure you couldn’t do anything to stop it.”  
Josh was just about to respond when he heard someone ring the doorbell to their apartment.  
“I’ll go see who it is” Josh desperately wanted out of this situation.  
He extracted himself from Tyler’s grip and tried to ignore the sigh of uneasiness from the man as he wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt.  
Reaching for the doorhandle he felt a rush of numbness rise up through his chest, without any clear indication of why.  
Ignoring it, he opened the door.  
Only to find a weary eyed Mark.  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I'd have this up earlier but problems with internet, school and some other stuff prevented me from doing so. Good news is, I've finished the last chapter! There's only another two after this one and there not long at all but oh well.  
> ~•_•~


	5. Chapter 5

“Hey, Josh. Listen, I know you probably don’t want to have me here right now but no one’s heard from you in a week so I had to check up on you. I just don’t want you to be alone with your thoughts for so long, it’s not healthy.”  
Mark was stumbling nervously over his words as he rushed past Josh who was confused to say the least.  
“I’m okay, why wouldn’t I be?”  
Mark turned around with a strange expression on his face, Josh couldn’t quite place it but it was almost… confusion?  
“And since when am I alone? Tyler’s in the other room. I’ll go get him.”  
At the sound of Tyler’s name Mark’s face fell into despair and his eyes began to water.  
Josh walked quickly towards his bedroom where they were sitting together just a minute ago. However, when he got to the doorway Tyler was nowhere to be seen. Checking the other bedroom and the bathroom quickly he began to call out for his friend.  
“Tyler! Where-“  
He turned to check the kitchen only to come face to face with Mark, who then proceeded to guide him to sit on the cheap beanbags.  
“He was just here! I swear, I’m not crazy!”  
Josh could feel his hands start to go tingle again as his breathing became more erratic.  
“Are you saying you don’t remember anything?”  
Mark sounded and looked beyond concerned, leaving Josh even more so.  
“What do you mean? Remember what?”  
“I think you’d better sit down.”  
As they sat uncomfortably on the beanbag Mark tried to build up the courage to explain the fate of their friend.  
 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER MAY BE TRIGGERING!!!!!

“First, just know it’s perfectly okay for you to be angry, or sad, or anything and no one blames you for anything and-“  
_Josh climbed the stairs to the cheap apartment he shared with his best friend Tyler. The shopping bags were cutting off the circulation to his hands._  
“Please just tell me where Tyler is” Josh cut him off.  
_He fumbled through his pockets looking for his keys, finding them underneath his phone._  
“W-well, I mean…” he trailed off attempting to find the right words.  
_As Josh unlocked the door he noticed how quiet it was in the apartment, there was usually some kind of noise somewhere, whether it was the piano or the radio. But now, nothing._  
“Last week, it was your turn to go get the groceries and when you got back…”  
_“Tyler, I got the groceries!” Josh called out to his friend, “You would not believe how many people were out today, seriously. It’s insane.”_  
“We don’t know if he planned it or if it was just a ‘in the moment’ sort of thing…”  
_As he placed the bags down on the kitchen counter he began to feel uneasy. Tyler has never ignored him before, and he hasn’t left a note on the fridge saying he went out._  
“I think he was planning it for a while…”  
_Josh quickened his pace heading straight for Tyler’s bedroom, but when he got there the door was open and Tyler was nowhere to be seen._  
“You know how bad he was last year…”  
_Out of the corner of his eye, Josh spotted the bathroom door._  
“I can’t even imagine what was going through his head at that point…”  
_Tyler wouldn’t. He wouldn’t do that, he couldn’t. He promised._  
“He seemed like he was getting better but…”  
_Josh edged toward the door, afraid of what he would see if he opened it._  
“He… um…”  
_Reaching for the doorknob he tried to convince himself everything was fine. It wasn’t._  
“Y-you said after, this happened before. Obviously not like this but, you found him in there before…”  
_As he pushed the door open, his eyes found a small wooden box on the counter, so familiar to him after the last time. Only this time it was open and he could see a piece of paper and the thin slips of metal inside. Tyler had said he got rid of those._  
“Just, I’m sure there was nothing anyone could have done to convince him not to…”  
_Inching the door open further, he found Tyler._  
“You found him in the bathroom and- ”  
_Tyler, lying against the wall, head slumped to the side, not moving._  
“…said it was too late…”  
_Josh screamed, louder than he ever had. Tyler promised._  
“…gone half an hour before you got there…”  
_“It’s okay Josh. I’m still here.”_  
_Josh’s head snapped back toward the hallway where it was standing, smirking, sneering at him with the face of his friend._  
_“You thought I was gone. How selfish? I thought we had something.”_  
_He couldn’t stand this anymore. He couldn’t bear to look at that thing pretending to be Tyler._  
_“I’m here. I’ll always be here.”_  
_And he was._  
_After all…_  
_Blurry never left._


End file.
